ERIC Number: ED569657
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 110
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-1-3039-3269-4
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Educator Effectiveness in Colorado: The Connection between Evaluation and Professional Learning
O'Brien, Colleen
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, University of Colorado at Denver
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand how schools and districts plan professional learning that provides the ongoing feedback and support needed to improve teacher performance under the new Colorado Educator Effectiveness Law. The study focused on the professional learning that follows a teacher's rating on the new educator effectiveness evaluation tool and on the roles teacher leaders have in the educator effectiveness system. The ultimate goal of this study was to understand and share professional learning practices implemented in the educator effectiveness system so that all students achieve at higher levels and are more engaged in classrooms. Research Design: The study includes district leader interviews and a teacher leader questionnaire, and the combination of these methods identified and explained how schools and districts use the new educator effectiveness law as an opportunity to support a teacher's development post evaluation. This mixed methods study includes 111 teacher leaders from teacher leadership academies in two school districts and the district leaders that support their work including the Directors of The Teacher Leadership Academy, the Directors of Professional Learning, and the Directors of Educator Effectiveness, the Manager of the Teacher Leadership Academy, The Director of Peer Observers, and the Director of Teacher Development and Leadership. The primary finding of this study is that in both districts, post evaluation learning did not exist in the implementation of the new evaluation system. In other words, teachers were not necessarily learning as a result of evaluation. The second major finding was that leaders in District A relied on teacher leaders (TLs) as a major strategy to increase the effectiveness of all teachers and District B aspired to do the same. However, district leaders concluded the teacher leader program could be more intentionally implemented. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Teacher Effectiveness, Teacher Evaluation, Teacher Education, Faculty Development, Teacher Improvement, State Legislation, Educational Legislation, School Law, Interviews, Questionnaires, Mixed Methods Research, Teacher Leadership, Program Effectiveness
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Colorado
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A